The Year of the Rooster is nearly upon us and unless you live the life of a recluse, or indeed you haven’t left the office for the last two weeks, then you will certainly have noticed the red paper cutouts and lanterns adorning shop doorways, the miniature mandarin trees lining your neighbours’ driveways, or heard the din of a lion dance as it chases away the evil spirits. The Lunar New Year, so-called because it is based on the lunisolar Chinese calendar, is nigh.

Chinese New Year, also called the Spring Festival, traditionally, is the time for the Chinese to mark the end of the coldest part of the year and to look forward to the beginning of spring. It is symbolic of letting go of the past and welcoming new beginnings. It is a time for honouring one’s elders, reconciling and making amends, avoiding offence and establishing old ties. It’s also the time when China lights more fireworks than any other country of the world at any given point during the year.

More than 70 per cent of Singapore's population is ethnic Chinese

Singapore is one of 12 countries to have public holidays this weekend alongside Hong Kong, Taiwan, Philippines and South Korea. In fact, one fifth of the world’s population will be celebrating the Chinese New Year, from London’s Trafalgar Square to San Francisco’s Chinatown. In Singapore’s Chinatown, residents and tourists alike can enjoy the hubbub of the lively markets, or see hand-crafted lanterns and eat Chinese delicacies at River Hongbao at Marina Bay. Or, you can experience the largest street performance and float parade in Asia, the Chingay Parade at the Formula one Pit Building, to celebrate the many cultures of our local communities: Chinese, Malay, Indian, Eurasian.

If you aren’t going to be celebrating Chinese New Year this year (and will be avoiding the crowds), but still want to honour our host nation and support your local community, then check out the latest volunteer postings on Expatgiving. You can give as little or as much time as suits you, but your help will most certainly bring you, and the people that you are helping, a new beginning.​

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Riding Association for the Disabled (RDA Singapore) are always delighted to hear from potential volunteers, especially those who may be interested in sidewalking with the riders. No horse experience is required!

It’s over. Christmas is over. Party season is over. Eating until we burst. Drinking too much wine. Spending too much money. It’s all over. Let us breathe a collective sigh of relief for it is the New Year. We have left the old and started the new. This is a time of rebirth and starting afresh.

Four thousand years ago, in honour of the new year, the ancient Babylonians made promises to the gods during a raucous 12-day festival to pay their debts and to return borrowed items. In return, the gods would bestow favour on them for the coming year.

The Romans, 1,500 years later, offered the sacrifice of a ram and made promises to Janus, the god of beginnings, time, doorways and transitions. Janus had two faces: one to look to the past and one to the future.

​Early Christians were slightly less wild and meditated on the year past and the year to come by singing hymns and reading scriptures to help avoid temptation and to treat others with Christian charity.

These days, particularly in the Western world, our resolve to do better for the year to come is less set in a biblical context and is far more to do with self improvement. Our New Year resolutions often involve exercise, eating healthily, losing weight, giving up smoking, drinking less alcohol, and other undesirable behaviours and habits. Sadly, our lack of fear of the wrath of the gods and our eventual and lazy acceptance that we’ll never squeeze into that dress, has probably got rather a lot to do with why many of us have abandoned our New Years resolutions by round about now.

However, Expatgiving is here to support you. We can help you to expand your interests, practise your life skills, meet new friends, improve your mental well-being, advance your career, and be happier. We can put you in contact with local non-profit organisations that need your skills, your energy and your desire to help.

Care about dogs, cats and other small animals?

SPCA Singapore is looking for helpers to clean cages and feed the animals, sell merchandise at events, talk to potential owners about the SPCA and adoption, and help with adoption procedures. Whereas, Action for Singapore Dogs is looking for people to raise awareness about their work, about adoption and responsible pet ownership, as well as help clean the dormitories.

Like horses and and want to help people with disabilities? ​

Riding for the Disabled Association of Singapore (RDA Singapore) needs ‘big brothers and sisters’ to support riders during therapeutic and rehabilitative horse-riding sessions. Help children and adults with physical and developmental disabilities to gain self confidence, independence, improved circulation, balance motor coordination and mobility, and a sense of freedom.

Care about the local community?

Bizlink needs your help to reach out to people with disabilities in Singapore and to assist them in achieving independence, dignity and integration into mainstream society through open and sheltered employment.

​Whatever you decide to do to volunteer, you are giving your time and skills to help others, so give yourself a pat on the back. And, if you still manage to get up at 6am for those weekend workouts, then give yourself two.